The present invention relates to an absorbent article, such as a sanitary napkin or pantiliner comprising a cover, an absorbent core, and a backsheet. The absorbent article comprises flocked fibers adhered to an internal surface of the absorbent article, such as the absorbent core-facing surface of the cover, either surface of the absorbent core, or the absorbent core-facing surface of the backsheet.
Absorbent articles may take many forms, such as sanitary napkins, pantiliners, diapers, incontinence pads, and interlabial articles. In such articles, it is often desirable to incorporate fibers for a variety of purposes. For example, fibers of superabsorbent polymer may be added to increase the absorbency of the articles. Unfortunately, fibers of superabsorbent polymers are often brittle and it is usually difficult to incorporate fibers of superabsorbent polymers into absorbent articles using known manufacturing techniques. In particular, when fibers of superabsorbent polymers are dispersed into an air laid-type matrix using special handling equipment, they become compressed by adjacent superabsorbent polymer fibers and other fibers in the matrix. When compressed, fibers of superabsorbent polymer cannot fully swell as they absorb fluids, and their absorbent capacity is underutilized.
Flocking is a technique by which fibers are fixed in a vertical position on a substrate, and is primarily used in the fabric industry. However, EP 0 737 462 A1 discloses a laminated material to cover the outside of an absorbent product, characterized in that at least one portion of the surface of the laminated material bears a layer of fibers applied by flocking. The flocked fibers are thereby located on the external surface of the absorbent product in order to give the absorbent product improved tactile properties over products that employ plastic films against the skin.
Applicant has now discovered that flocked fibers may advantageously be applied to one or more of the internal surfaces of an absorbent article. In an absorbent article comprising a cover, an absorbent core, and a backsheet, for example, the flocked fibers may be applied to the absorbent core-facing surface of the cover, the cover-facing surface of the absorbent core, the backsheet-facing surface of the absorbent core, or the absorbent core-facing surface of the backsheet. The fibers are preferably selected from superabsorbent polymers and other hydrophilic materials, hydrophobic materials, and mixtures thereof, so as to provide an absorbent article with improved absorbent capacity and physical integrity.
The present invention provides an absorbent article having a body-facing surface and a garment-facing surface and comprising in sequence a cover, an absorbent core, and a backsheet, wherein the absorbent article comprises flocked fibers, said flocked fibers not being adhered to the body-facing surface or the garment-facing surface of the absorbent article.